Carolina Parakeet
The Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States. It was found from the Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, and lived in old forests along rivers. It was the only species at the time classified in the genus Conuropsis. It was called puzzi la née ("head of yellow") or pot pot chee by the Seminole and kelinky in Chikasha. Extinction C. c. carolinensis by John James AudubonThe last wild specimen was killed in Okeechobee County, Florida, in 1904, and the last captive bird died at the Cincinnati Zoo on February 21, 1918. This was the male specimen "Incas," who died within a year of his mate "Lady Jane." Coincidentally, Incas died in the same aviary cage in which the last Passenger Pigeon, "Martha," had died nearly four years prior. It was not until 1939, however, that it was determined that the Carolina Parakeet had become extinct.At some date between 1937 and 1955, three parakeets resembling this species were sighted and filmed in the Okefenokee Swamp of Georgia. However, the American Ornithologists Union analyzed the film and concluded that they had probably filmed feral parakeets. Additional reports of the bird were made in Okeechobee County, Florida, until the late 1920s, but these are not supported by specimens.The species may have appeared as a very rare vagrant in places as far north as Southern Ontario. A few bones, including a pygostyle found at the Calvert Site in Southern Ontario, came from the Carolina Parakeet. The possibility remains open that this particular specimen was taken to Southern Ontario for ceremonial purposes. Reasons for extinction C. c. ludovicianus by John James AudubonThe Carolina Parakeet died out because of a number of different threats. To make space for more agricultural land, large areas of forest were cut down, taking away its habitat. The bird's colorful feathers (green body, yellow head, and red around the bill) were in demand as decorations in ladies' hats. The birds were also kept as pets and could be bred easily in captivity. However, little was done by owners to increase the population of tamed birds. Finally, they were killed in large numbers because farmers considered them a pest, although many farmers valued them for controlling invasive cockleburs. It has also been hypothesized that the introduced honeybee helped contribute to its extinction by taking many of the bird's nesting sites. In museums A stuffed specimen of C. c. carolinensis, on display at the Redpath Museum, MontrealAbout 720 skins and 16 skeletons are housed in museums around the world. In 1977, ecologist Daniel McKinley accepted 20 of the 49 supposed egg specimens as certainly and 7 as probably correctly assigned to this species. Five eggs collected in Florida on April 30, 1927, were controversially attributed to this species (FSM 87234 - 3 eggs - and 89434 - 2 eggs). These are not accepted as valid by McKinley based on their small size and early date of collection, but molecular analysis could possibly determine whether these are in fact eggs of Carolina Parakeets. Parakeets in the United States Rare photo of live specimen taken in 1906 The extinction of the Carolina Parakeet represents the irrevocable loss of eastern North America's only truly indigenous parrot. However, populations of a South American parrot species, Myiopsitta monachus, the Monk Parakeet, or Quaker Parrot, began to breed in the same region from the 1960s onwards. Whether introduced accidentally or intentionally, the Monk Parakeet has as of 2009 established flocks in several states, including New York, New jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois, Ohio (Cincinnati area), Kentucky (Northern/Greater Cincinnati area), Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Smaller feral colonies of several other species of parrots and parakeets have since established themselves in various locations of the USA, including downtown Pasadena, California and San Francisco, California. Large flocks are well noted in the San Diego region, particularly in El Cajon and the Ocean Beach area. The Peach-faced Lovebird, a native to Africa, has established itself in parts of the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. The Mexican Thick-billed Parrot also used to range into Arizona before its population declined in the 20th century; attempts to reintroduce them have, until now, not met with any lasting success.